Summary
- LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has intensified its province-wide campaign against quack doctors sealing 1,037 centres following inspections of 3,457 healthcare facilities according to a commission spokesperson.
- Lahore recorded the highest number of sealed centres with authorities closing 220 facilities suspected of providing healthcare services through unqualified practitioners.
- By inspecting thousands of facilities and shutting down centres identified as operating illegally, the PHC is seeking to strengthen oversight of healthcare services and reduce risks associated with treatment by unqualified practitioners.
LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has intensified its province-wide campaign against quack doctors sealing 1,037 centres following inspections of 3,457 healthcare facilities according to a commission spokesperson.
The ongoing operation aims to curb the activities of unqualified medical practitioners and prevent people from receiving treatment at facilities operating without the required professional credentials.
Other major cities also saw enforcement action. According to the PHC spokesperson 111 centres were sealed in Gujranwala, 107 in Multan, 64 in Rawalpindi and 63 in Faisalabad.
The campaign also targeted facilities in southern and central Punjab. Authorities sealed 55 centres in Dera Ghazi Khan and 50 in Sargodha. In Sheikhupura 35 centres were closed while 31 facilities were sealed in Sahiwal.
The figures reflect the scale of the commission’s enforcement activities across several districts of the province. By inspecting thousands of facilities and shutting down centres identified as operating illegally, the PHC is seeking to strengthen oversight of healthcare services and reduce risks associated with treatment by unqualified practitioners.
Quack medical practices can expose patients to serious health risks including incorrect diagnoses inappropriate medication and unsafe treatment procedures. Regulatory inspections and enforcement measures are therefore important for protecting patients and encouraging compliance with healthcare standards.
The commission’s latest operation highlights the continuing challenge of controlling unlicensed medical practice across Punjab where authorities are working to identify and shut down facilities that fail to meet the required standards.
The PHC spokesperson confirmed that action against quackery is continuing across the province. However the reported figures do not specify the number of practitioners arrested the penalties imposed or whether any sealed facilities have subsequently reopened.
Residents are encouraged to seek treatment from qualified healthcare professionals and verify the credentials of medical practitioners before undergoing treatment.
